Radiq on EDM, Film Scores, and His Miami Debut at Foreign Exchange WMC 2013

As the name suggests, it's quite a melting pot of international artists at the Foreign Exchange party. Among other countries, there's Mexico, represented by Balcazar & Sordo, Venezuela by Fur Coat, Spain by El_Txef_A, and Italy by Lula Circus.

But the artist who's scoring the most frequent-flier miles on his way to this party is definitely Radiq (AKA Yoshihiro Hanno), who hails from Tokyo, Japan. And while he might be one of the least hyped names on this lineup, he is decidedly the mad genius of the lot, boasting a uniquely experimental, off-kilter production sound that blends jazz and avant-garde influences with dub techno.

Hanno's singular musical vision has made him an in-demand film scorer. And that's when he's not writing classical compositions for 67-piece orchestras.

Even without the rest of the world-class talent onboard for Foreign Exchange, Radiq's Miami debut is reason enough to attend this party. Show this brilliant newcomer some Miami love with a good turnout on Wednesday. But first, find out what he had to tell Crossfade about his hip-hop roots, out-of-the-box music projects, and new EP.

Crossfade: How did you first get drawn to electronic music? Were you exposed to much of it while growing up in Japan?Radiq: I had a fever for jazz, soul, and funk music in the early to mid 1980s. Then came the creation of new-school hip-hop, like Jungle Brothers and A Tribe Called Quest, which had a big impact, as those new ideas deviated from musical logic. Toward the end of the '80s, I started making such beats, and playing in the nightclubs in Osaka city.

Your sound blends a lot of different genres and styles. What would you consider your main influences as an artist? Would you say traditional Japanese music plays an influence in your sound as much as the Western ones?
I would say I had many influences from all kinds of music. But I find the minimal groove is a best platform for me to blend my musical interests. Traditional Japanese music wasn't so close to me, but the traditional spirit and mind -- way of thinking -- is still very important for me. That's my roots and blood.

You currently divide your time between Tokyo and Paris, two very different cultural capitals of the world. How are the electronic dance music scenes different in each city? And how does each setting determine your creativity and artistic output?
Yes, for the last 12 years, I've lived in both cities. I can't compare Japan and Europe. But I can say Japanese modern culture is isolated from others in both a good and bad sense. Nowadays, the electronic dance music scene in Paris is so fresh, with so much new, young, and next-generation talent -- much bigger and stronger than the last 10 years. For creating, Paris is comfortable for me at this moment.